Madiba medics not on board crashed plane

06 December |
11:31

By SAPA

Johannesburg - The SA National Defence Force on Thursday dismissed reports that former president Nelson Mandela's medical team had been on board when a military aircraft crashed in the Drakensberg near Ladysmith.

“The reports were incorrect,” said SANDF head of communication, Siphiwe Dlamini.

He said the department would be releasing more information about the crash before noon.

Earlier, the department's spokesman Xolani Mabanga confirmed that the wreckage of the aircraft had been found.

The Dakota aircraft went missing en route to Mthatha after it took off from Waterkloof Air Force Base in Pretoria on Wednesday. It was expected to land in Mthatha at 10am.

Dhlamini could not also disclose how many people were on board when it crashed.

Beeld newspaper earlier reported that a medical team was on board and speculated that it could be Mandela's team because the plane was headed for Mthatha in the Eastern Cape, where he lives. - Sapa